Supreme Court Seeks Government Response on Disability-Friendly Reproductive Health Services

The Supreme Court has issued a show cause notice to the government following a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the full implementation of the Disability-Friendly Reproductive Health and Safe Motherhood Services Directive, 2022. The petition, filed on July 24, calls for effective enforcement of the directive to ensure that women with disabilities have equal access to reproductive health and safe motherhood services across Nepal.

The PIL was submitted by Senior Advocate Meera Kumari Dhungana and Advocate Dipesh Shrestha on behalf of the Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD), along with Nirmala Dhital, President of the National Federation of the Disabled Nepal Women, Meena Paudel, President of the Nepal Disabled Women’s Association, and Durga Sapkota, Executive Director of YOSHAN. The petition seeks a writ of mandamus directing the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, along with other concerned authorities, to fully implement the directive.

Following a preliminary hearing, a single bench of Justice Sharanga Subedi issued the show cause order, requiring the respondents to explain their position. According to the petition, despite the government’s adoption of the directive in 2022, its provisions have not been effectively implemented, limiting access to essential reproductive healthcare for women with disabilities. The petitioners have urged the Court to issue the necessary orders to ensure the directive is fully enforced nationwide.